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For Hire #2
Kiralık Sevgili
Sarabeth, severek çalıştığı tatil köyü yasadışı işler yapabilmek için kurulmuş paravan bir şirket çıkınca, işten ayrılır. Bir süre sonra şirketin çevirdiği gizli işler de ortaya çıkar ve her şey altüst olur. Yine de olayların daha da kötüleşmesi uzun sürmez. Geçmişte o tatil köyünde çalışan insanların teker teker kaza süsü verilmiş cinayetlerle ortadan kaldırılmaya başlanması, Sarabethi endişelendirir. En az onun kadar endişeli olan yakın arkadaşı Lindy, Sarabethi koruması için bir koruma kiralar. Ancak bu kiralık korumanın, kiralık bir sevgiliye dönüşmesi an meselesidir.
304 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 13, 2014
69 people are currently reading
775 people want to read
About the author
Christine Bell
52 books1,273 followersChristine Bell is a romance author and also writes erotic romance as Chloe Cole. She and her handsome hubby currently reside in Pennsylvania with a four-pack of teenage boys. If she gets time off from her duties as maid, chef, chauffeur, or therapist, she can be found reading just about anything she can get her hands on, from Young Adult novels to books on poker theory. She doesn’t like root beer, clowns or bugs (except ladybugs, on account of their cute outfits), but lurrves chocolate, going to the movies, the New York Giants and playing Texas Hold ‘Em. Writing is her passion, but if she had to pick another occupation, she would be a pirate…or, like, a ninja maybe. She loves writing steamy romance stories, but also hopes to one day publish something her dad can read without wanting to dig his eyes out with a rusty spoon. Christine loves to hear from readers, so please contact her through her website, www.christine-bell.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
January 21, 2014
Sarabeth needs a protector when everyone from her former work place has had fatal “accidents” and her best friend sends her a “Guardian” to keep her safe. Gavin is a former military man who tries to convince her that her life is in danger which she balks at, until her car goes up in smoke courtesy of a bomb. Gavin takes Sarabeth into hiding until he can discover who is threatening her and why.
This was a short read only 200 pages or so. I have to say the on the whole I had a hard time connecting with the Heroine I found her a bit wishy washy and that seemed to effect how I felt throughout the book. I did like the Hero Gavin and his protectiveness however; when the danger was over, I was extremely disappointed with him for not defending her against her horrible grandparents verbal abuse…he lost me at that point.
As for the reason she and her coworkers were targeted by the Mob once it was revealed what they were after it left me thinking “really? that’s it?”
All in all this is not a bad read, who doesn’t love Romance & Suspense? This one just wasn’t for me.
*A copy of the book was provided by the Author in exchange for an honest review*
http://sweptawaybyromance.blogspot.com/
This was a short read only 200 pages or so. I have to say the on the whole I had a hard time connecting with the Heroine I found her a bit wishy washy and that seemed to effect how I felt throughout the book. I did like the Hero Gavin and his protectiveness however; when the danger was over, I was extremely disappointed with him for not defending her against her horrible grandparents verbal abuse…he lost me at that point.
As for the reason she and her coworkers were targeted by the Mob once it was revealed what they were after it left me thinking “really? that’s it?”
All in all this is not a bad read, who doesn’t love Romance & Suspense? This one just wasn’t for me.
*A copy of the book was provided by the Author in exchange for an honest review*
http://sweptawaybyromance.blogspot.com/
September 14, 2017
This is romantic suspense with a fantastic dose of humour thrown in to make it an enjoyable, relatively quick read that I enjoyed escaping into. It is the second in the series but I have to say that, having not read the first, it still works well as background information for events is provided in this story. It does, however, mean that I now know who the perpetrator in the first story was!
Doctor Sarabeth Lucking worked as a psychologist at a couple’s retreat before scandal closed it down. Now three other employees there have being murdered and her friends have sent ex-Army Ranger, now security specialist, Gavin McClintock to fetch and protect her. Their first meeting is explosive so, somewhat reluctantly, Sarah goes with Gavin and they start their run to escape the killers. The main problems are they don’t know who they are running from or why they want to kill Sarabeth but to top that, the attraction between the two is hot and mutual. Can they stay safe as they strive to survive? Can they help discover who is trying to kill Sarabeth and why? Can their passion lead to anything more?
The story has great characters and has brilliant banter throughout. Sarabeth is keen to be independent but she is also naive in many ways and still seeks the approval and love of her cold grandparents who brought her up. Gavin has overcome his childhood experiences to become a strong, Scottish hero who it is easy to relate to. The story is filled with suspense but is still a fun story with plenty of action and a page turner I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
I requested and was given a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion after choosing to read it.
Doctor Sarabeth Lucking worked as a psychologist at a couple’s retreat before scandal closed it down. Now three other employees there have being murdered and her friends have sent ex-Army Ranger, now security specialist, Gavin McClintock to fetch and protect her. Their first meeting is explosive so, somewhat reluctantly, Sarah goes with Gavin and they start their run to escape the killers. The main problems are they don’t know who they are running from or why they want to kill Sarabeth but to top that, the attraction between the two is hot and mutual. Can they stay safe as they strive to survive? Can they help discover who is trying to kill Sarabeth and why? Can their passion lead to anything more?
The story has great characters and has brilliant banter throughout. Sarabeth is keen to be independent but she is also naive in many ways and still seeks the approval and love of her cold grandparents who brought her up. Gavin has overcome his childhood experiences to become a strong, Scottish hero who it is easy to relate to. The story is filled with suspense but is still a fun story with plenty of action and a page turner I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
I requested and was given a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion after choosing to read it.
August 13, 2020
Çok daha iyi olabilirdi (yazarı sevdiğini söyledikten birkaç saat sonra).
July 27, 2016
Temporary review until I finish. I'm at 68% and I'm going to try to finish it because that's further than I usually get with Romantic Suspense. It's rare for me to find one that I like, let alone finish. I had high hopes for this one because it started off pretty well. I was thinking 4 stars until the heroine became dumber and dumber. Most female romance readers like to be able to identify with the heroine at least a little bit. And I'm no different than most of those readers. I don't consider myself stupid, so when the heroine starts thinking and doing what I consider to be stupid things, it ruins the story for me. That's the case with this one.
It's these kinds of things that tend to ruin Romantic Suspense for me. More often than not the plot is something that is too over-the-top, or characters do and say things that make no sense to me. I think I'm just too logical in my thinking, and too unable to suspend my disbelief for most of the books that fall into this sub-genre.
I'm not feeling the romance in this one either. The hero spent the majority of the first half of the book trying to avoid the heroine and they haven't really spent much time together. Then, bam, they're rolling around in the sheets, and if there's any talking going on there that they are bonding over, the author hasn't let us in on it. I just want to feel something for the characters in the books I read. So often lately with the books that I've been reading, the romance is thin. They barely know each other and the author declares them in love and we should believe it because the author said so. (In paranormal romance, or fantasy, an author can get away with that by claiming they are mates and destined to be. But, it doesn't usually work with the sub-genres of Romance that are supposed to be based in reality). I need some emotion. I need something that ties them together. Hoping that will happen somehow in the last portion of the book.
Stopping at 82% but I'm leaving it at 2 stars since I got that far. While the romance between the H/h got a little better, the way the conflict with the mob guy was resolved was ridiculous. And the tired trope of, "Now that she's safe there's no reason for us to see each other anymore, boohoo" was trotted out. I just couldn't take it anymore and didn't really want them to stay together anyway after all that.
It's these kinds of things that tend to ruin Romantic Suspense for me. More often than not the plot is something that is too over-the-top, or characters do and say things that make no sense to me. I think I'm just too logical in my thinking, and too unable to suspend my disbelief for most of the books that fall into this sub-genre.
I'm not feeling the romance in this one either. The hero spent the majority of the first half of the book trying to avoid the heroine and they haven't really spent much time together. Then, bam, they're rolling around in the sheets, and if there's any talking going on there that they are bonding over, the author hasn't let us in on it. I just want to feel something for the characters in the books I read. So often lately with the books that I've been reading, the romance is thin. They barely know each other and the author declares them in love and we should believe it because the author said so. (In paranormal romance, or fantasy, an author can get away with that by claiming they are mates and destined to be. But, it doesn't usually work with the sub-genres of Romance that are supposed to be based in reality). I need some emotion. I need something that ties them together. Hoping that will happen somehow in the last portion of the book.
Stopping at 82% but I'm leaving it at 2 stars since I got that far. While the romance between the H/h got a little better, the way the conflict with the mob guy was resolved was ridiculous. And the tired trope of, "Now that she's safe there's no reason for us to see each other anymore, boohoo" was trotted out. I just couldn't take it anymore and didn't really want them to stay together anyway after all that.
July 27, 2015
Recently re-read the first book in the series and figured I would re-read this one as well, even though I knew I did not like it as much as the first.
Well, I liked it even less this time. It is now probably 2.5 stars.
I was bored (and not because it was a re-read). I felt the H/h had zero chemistry and they did not even get to know each other during their time together. For a counselor, Sarabeth was the worst communicator of all time. But the real issue was the Hero, Gavin. Totally silent. Never expressed himself outwardly (and rarely in his inner monologue), she had to take the lead at every step (from sex to I love you), he let her leave (actually drove her to her grandparents house and said - see ya), did not go back for her (and I do not believe he would have).
The first book was funny. The hero came through in the end. I have no idea why this book had to be so opposite. Not funny and not heroic.
This is totally safe. No OW/OM even mentioned.
Previous comments:
3.5 stars. It was good, just needed a bit of work on story and characters. I enjoyed it, but not as much as the first in the series.
Well, I liked it even less this time. It is now probably 2.5 stars.
I was bored (and not because it was a re-read). I felt the H/h had zero chemistry and they did not even get to know each other during their time together. For a counselor, Sarabeth was the worst communicator of all time. But the real issue was the Hero, Gavin. Totally silent. Never expressed himself outwardly (and rarely in his inner monologue), she had to take the lead at every step (from sex to I love you), he let her leave (actually drove her to her grandparents house and said - see ya), did not go back for her (and I do not believe he would have).
The first book was funny. The hero came through in the end. I have no idea why this book had to be so opposite. Not funny and not heroic.
This is totally safe. No OW/OM even mentioned.
Previous comments:
3.5 stars. It was good, just needed a bit of work on story and characters. I enjoyed it, but not as much as the first in the series.
February 23, 2015
*ARC via netgalley*
3.5 stars, very close to 4
I really enjoyed this book. It had the perfect amount of romance and action for a short story.
A mutual friend, of Gavin and Sarabeth, sent Gavin to protect her because her life could be in danger.
From the moment he came to pick her up, shit starts to happen. Very soon he becomes attached to her and doesn't want to leave her side. So he takes her home and decides to teach her how to be a guardian if she will "work" for him.
The plot was written very well, and the heroine wasn't annoying to me. She kinda cracked me up, especially near the end when she goes all in "action" mode.
But as they live together, they can't resist the passion. But what will happen when she doesn't need protection anymore?
I would definitely recommend this story to all romantic-suspense lovers, that want some quick and enjoyable book to read.
3.5 stars, very close to 4
I really enjoyed this book. It had the perfect amount of romance and action for a short story.
A mutual friend, of Gavin and Sarabeth, sent Gavin to protect her because her life could be in danger.
From the moment he came to pick her up, shit starts to happen. Very soon he becomes attached to her and doesn't want to leave her side. So he takes her home and decides to teach her how to be a guardian if she will "work" for him.
The plot was written very well, and the heroine wasn't annoying to me. She kinda cracked me up, especially near the end when she goes all in "action" mode.
But as they live together, they can't resist the passion. But what will happen when she doesn't need protection anymore?
I would definitely recommend this story to all romantic-suspense lovers, that want some quick and enjoyable book to read.
February 7, 2014
Dr Sarabeth finds herself next in line to a murderer targeting everyone from her former workplace. Not knowing what to do, she still doesn´t want to go with the man at her door, claiming to be there to help.
Gavin only said yes to this assignment as a favour to his friend, to help his girlfriends friend with keeping her safe. As ex-Army Ranger, he´s used to reluctant clients, but Sarabeth seems to be on the tougher side.
Smutty fluff, action, suspense and an Alpha Male pointing with the whole of his hand =)
Gavin only said yes to this assignment as a favour to his friend, to help his girlfriends friend with keeping her safe. As ex-Army Ranger, he´s used to reluctant clients, but Sarabeth seems to be on the tougher side.
Smutty fluff, action, suspense and an Alpha Male pointing with the whole of his hand =)
August 6, 2021
200 sayfa anca dayanabildim, bomboş..
July 29, 2016
**For more thoughts on each book, see my full two-book review of the For Hire series at Ani's Book Abyss | Series Review: For Hire.
Book #1: Wife for Hire | Goodreads | Rating: 4.0 Stars
Book #2: Guardian for Hire | Goodreads | Rating: 3.5 Stars
Average Rating: 3.75 Stars
I'm going to be totally honest here: The two of these For Hire books were so small and bite-sized that they were done and over before I knew. But I enjoyed the heck out of them!
I definitely went into both books in this series expecting a standard fluff piece with the standard romance, the standard story line, and the standard characters. And they pretty much delivered in that sense. But at the same time, they were so much more! I don't know if it has to do with the characters, the writing style, or that subtle bit of humor.
Or maybe it happened to be that, despite the standard story, standard romance, and standard characters, our two leading ladies were also a bit different than the standard depiction of the standard romance novel heroine. And maybe that was what made all the differences.
Overall Thoughts
As I'd already stated, there was something pretty standard and clichéd about both books, but at the same time, the characters might have made me enjoy things much more. Also there was a lot of humor along for the ride.
Story-wise, neither of the two For Hire books are really much to write home about. Pretty typical stuff and the romances did lean towards the sap as the ending rolled around. But the couples were cute and sweet with each other, and their interactions were lots of fun.
It seemed this was a duo of books that is perfect to wind down with after a long few days of busy workload. Fun, sexy, cute, and comical.
There are a plethora of other characters in both books that I'm quite interested in. So I'm hoping that Christine Bell decides to continue this series. There are just too many potentially fun character who definitely need their time at center stage.
***
2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge
• Reading Assignment Challenge
• Bookish Resolutions Challenge
• Mount TBR Challenge
• COYER Summer Vacation 2016
-- Wife For Hire -- Bingo Board One | Square C21 -- Contemp
-- Guardian For Hire -- Bingo Board One | Square Y13 -- Rom Com
Book #1: Wife for Hire | Goodreads | Rating: 4.0 Stars
Book #2: Guardian for Hire | Goodreads | Rating: 3.5 Stars
Average Rating: 3.75 Stars
I'm going to be totally honest here: The two of these For Hire books were so small and bite-sized that they were done and over before I knew. But I enjoyed the heck out of them!
I definitely went into both books in this series expecting a standard fluff piece with the standard romance, the standard story line, and the standard characters. And they pretty much delivered in that sense. But at the same time, they were so much more! I don't know if it has to do with the characters, the writing style, or that subtle bit of humor.
Or maybe it happened to be that, despite the standard story, standard romance, and standard characters, our two leading ladies were also a bit different than the standard depiction of the standard romance novel heroine. And maybe that was what made all the differences.
Overall Thoughts
As I'd already stated, there was something pretty standard and clichéd about both books, but at the same time, the characters might have made me enjoy things much more. Also there was a lot of humor along for the ride.
Story-wise, neither of the two For Hire books are really much to write home about. Pretty typical stuff and the romances did lean towards the sap as the ending rolled around. But the couples were cute and sweet with each other, and their interactions were lots of fun.
It seemed this was a duo of books that is perfect to wind down with after a long few days of busy workload. Fun, sexy, cute, and comical.
There are a plethora of other characters in both books that I'm quite interested in. So I'm hoping that Christine Bell decides to continue this series. There are just too many potentially fun character who definitely need their time at center stage.
***
2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge
• Reading Assignment Challenge
• Bookish Resolutions Challenge
• Mount TBR Challenge
• COYER Summer Vacation 2016
-- Wife For Hire -- Bingo Board One | Square C21 -- Contemp
-- Guardian For Hire -- Bingo Board One | Square Y13 -- Rom Com
January 23, 2014
After reading and loving Christine Bell's novel Dirty Tricks I jumped at the chance of reading Guardian for Hire when I saw it come up on Netgalley for review. I'm a bit annoyed with myself for not realising it was the second book in a series though because I wish I could go back in time and read the books in order. Although both stories feature a different main couple this book does give away who the bad guy was in the previous one as there is a continuing plot across the series. The fact I haven't read Wife for Hire didn't dampen my enjoyment for this book but I think I'd have loved the first one too so I'm upset that I spoiled the ending for myself and now don't want to read it.
Anyway lets get back to get back to my review of Guardian for Hire! I'll admit that I didn't think I was going to like Sarabeth at first, she comes across as quite stuck up in the beginning but it doesn't take long for you to see a nicer side to her. She was raised by her rich grandparents but they didn't really want her and she was never shown any love or affection. She has spent her whole life trying to win their approval but no matter what she does it has never been enough and they always see her as an embarrassment to the family. In a lot of ways she has lived a life of privilege but all the money in the world isn't worth the cold upbringing she had. As you get to know her you realise that she has worked hard to become independent and stand on her own two feet, she refuses to live her life by her grandparent's rules even though she does want them to love her. Sarabeth is a strong woman who is prepared to fight for what she wants and I liked that about her. She can also be incredibly naive in some ways and I had to laugh at the situations she manages to get herself into.
Gavin was a great hero who it was easy to like, he is strong, protective and incredibly sexy. His upbringing couldn't be more different to Sarabeth's and he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder about the fact that she comes from money. Gavin is a self made man who has worked his butt off to get where he is and is proud of what he has achieved, he takes great pleasure in showing Sarabeth that there is more to him than meets the eye. He also enjoys teaching her to protect herself and seeing how independent she is. The chemistry between them was fantastic and I loved their banter but I think I really fell for him when he forced down the horrific dinner that Sarabeth cooked him. She was certainly no gourmet chef but he could see how hard she had tried and he appreciated that enough to attempt to eat it with a smile on his face.
I said in my review of Dirty Tricks that I wanted to start working my way through Christine Bell's back list and reading this story has just confirmed to me that I need to do that. She has a knack for writing great characters who have smoking hot chemistry but she also excels at witty banter and had me laughing out loud all the way through this book. If you're looking for a quick, light hearted read that will make you smile, swoon and fall for a rugged Scottish hero then you can't go wrong with this book.
Anyway lets get back to get back to my review of Guardian for Hire! I'll admit that I didn't think I was going to like Sarabeth at first, she comes across as quite stuck up in the beginning but it doesn't take long for you to see a nicer side to her. She was raised by her rich grandparents but they didn't really want her and she was never shown any love or affection. She has spent her whole life trying to win their approval but no matter what she does it has never been enough and they always see her as an embarrassment to the family. In a lot of ways she has lived a life of privilege but all the money in the world isn't worth the cold upbringing she had. As you get to know her you realise that she has worked hard to become independent and stand on her own two feet, she refuses to live her life by her grandparent's rules even though she does want them to love her. Sarabeth is a strong woman who is prepared to fight for what she wants and I liked that about her. She can also be incredibly naive in some ways and I had to laugh at the situations she manages to get herself into.
Gavin was a great hero who it was easy to like, he is strong, protective and incredibly sexy. His upbringing couldn't be more different to Sarabeth's and he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder about the fact that she comes from money. Gavin is a self made man who has worked his butt off to get where he is and is proud of what he has achieved, he takes great pleasure in showing Sarabeth that there is more to him than meets the eye. He also enjoys teaching her to protect herself and seeing how independent she is. The chemistry between them was fantastic and I loved their banter but I think I really fell for him when he forced down the horrific dinner that Sarabeth cooked him. She was certainly no gourmet chef but he could see how hard she had tried and he appreciated that enough to attempt to eat it with a smile on his face.
I said in my review of Dirty Tricks that I wanted to start working my way through Christine Bell's back list and reading this story has just confirmed to me that I need to do that. She has a knack for writing great characters who have smoking hot chemistry but she also excels at witty banter and had me laughing out loud all the way through this book. If you're looking for a quick, light hearted read that will make you smile, swoon and fall for a rugged Scottish hero then you can't go wrong with this book.
January 5, 2014
3 Stars- this book had so much potential! I liked it but I didn't love it.
Psychologist Sarabeth Lucking's life is in danger, enter Gavin. Gavin is hired by her friends Lindy and her husband Owen to swope and save the day. SaraBeth has no plans on giving up her life for this presumed threat but a car bomb exploding changes her mind immediately.
Gavin is the strong, brooding, alpha male badass, add in a slight Scottish accent and you how major hotness.
But this two DROVE ME NUTS! So many times they made assumptions about what the other person's wanted or what they needed and they kept missing the mark every time. It was so up and down I felt like I was in 6th grade passing notes, do you like me circle yes or no...
GAWD!! When they did get together there was so serious hotness, but no talking about what was happening or what was going on or anything. Now, keep in mind that Sarabeth is a Psychologist and her job she has worked with couples therapy so the fact that she can not have a solid conversation with Gavin made me want to put my head through a wall.
There is some good backstory too with Gavin's life growing up, but again, he talked so little that you really didn't get it all and there was room for some serious understanding of him if you got a little more of that dark and damaged back story. Plus I wanted him to go so Alpha Male on her grandparents so bad!!!! Such a major missed opportunity, and Sarabeth you grew a back bone with Gavin, did it shrivel up and die when you walked in that mansion???
And for some suspense I was disappointed by the real hidden secret on those tapes, I seriously giggled. It could have been so much more intense. But, the steam factor was there but the after glow was seriously lacking. I know this seems like a scathing review but please keep in mind, I liked this book. I just saw wasted potential with some twists and turns. But that being said, I would read another story to this series!
*This honest review was done in exchange for an Arc through Netgalley from Entangled Publishing, LLC and Christine Bell*
Psychologist Sarabeth Lucking's life is in danger, enter Gavin. Gavin is hired by her friends Lindy and her husband Owen to swope and save the day. SaraBeth has no plans on giving up her life for this presumed threat but a car bomb exploding changes her mind immediately.
Gavin is the strong, brooding, alpha male badass, add in a slight Scottish accent and you how major hotness.
But this two DROVE ME NUTS! So many times they made assumptions about what the other person's wanted or what they needed and they kept missing the mark every time. It was so up and down I felt like I was in 6th grade passing notes, do you like me circle yes or no...
GAWD!! When they did get together there was so serious hotness, but no talking about what was happening or what was going on or anything. Now, keep in mind that Sarabeth is a Psychologist and her job she has worked with couples therapy so the fact that she can not have a solid conversation with Gavin made me want to put my head through a wall.
There is some good backstory too with Gavin's life growing up, but again, he talked so little that you really didn't get it all and there was room for some serious understanding of him if you got a little more of that dark and damaged back story. Plus I wanted him to go so Alpha Male on her grandparents so bad!!!! Such a major missed opportunity, and Sarabeth you grew a back bone with Gavin, did it shrivel up and die when you walked in that mansion???
And for some suspense I was disappointed by the real hidden secret on those tapes, I seriously giggled. It could have been so much more intense. But, the steam factor was there but the after glow was seriously lacking. I know this seems like a scathing review but please keep in mind, I liked this book. I just saw wasted potential with some twists and turns. But that being said, I would read another story to this series!
*This honest review was done in exchange for an Arc through Netgalley from Entangled Publishing, LLC and Christine Bell*
December 26, 2016
: GUARDIAN FOR HIRE is the second storyline in Christine Bell's adult, contemporary For Hire romance series. Although this is the second in the series, it can be read as a stand alone without too much difficulty. Some of the previous storyline characters play a minor role in the story. This is Sarabeth and Gavin's story.
Sarabeth is a psychologist whose life is about to spiral out of control when former co-workers and colleagues are dying under mysterious circumstances. Believing Sarabeth is next in line, Gavin McLintock is hired to keep Sarabeth safe and alive. But life on the run is not what Sarabeth had in mind until she finds herself holed up in Gavin's fortress of a home. One thing leads to another and Sarabeth begins to fall for the man hired to keep her safe.
The relationship between Sarabeth and Gavin begins slowly as Gavin endeavors to keep Sarabeth safe but she has plans where Gavin is concerned. The sexual heat begins almost immediately and as the story progresses, so too, does the building love. But Gavin was hired to do a job and in the end, he will walk away from the woman with whom he is falling in love.
Christine Bell brings together a story of suspense, romance and a little sex. Guardian For Hire is a tale about two people brought together under dangerous circumstances and in the end Sarabeth is the one to keep Gavin safe when he willingly puts himself in danger to protect the woman under his care. If you like a romantic storyline with a little bit of everything, Guardian For Hire is the perfect read for a lazy afternoon.
Sarabeth is a psychologist whose life is about to spiral out of control when former co-workers and colleagues are dying under mysterious circumstances. Believing Sarabeth is next in line, Gavin McLintock is hired to keep Sarabeth safe and alive. But life on the run is not what Sarabeth had in mind until she finds herself holed up in Gavin's fortress of a home. One thing leads to another and Sarabeth begins to fall for the man hired to keep her safe.
The relationship between Sarabeth and Gavin begins slowly as Gavin endeavors to keep Sarabeth safe but she has plans where Gavin is concerned. The sexual heat begins almost immediately and as the story progresses, so too, does the building love. But Gavin was hired to do a job and in the end, he will walk away from the woman with whom he is falling in love.
Christine Bell brings together a story of suspense, romance and a little sex. Guardian For Hire is a tale about two people brought together under dangerous circumstances and in the end Sarabeth is the one to keep Gavin safe when he willingly puts himself in danger to protect the woman under his care. If you like a romantic storyline with a little bit of everything, Guardian For Hire is the perfect read for a lazy afternoon.
December 28, 2013
Close your eyes, think of Gerard Butler scaling perimeter fencing and dodging bullets whilst oozing sexy and you're not far off the mark. Guardian for Hire follows on from Wife for Hire and although there is some continuity, it could be read as a standalone.
As you may have gathered, our hero, Gavin McClintock, is Scottish. In my world sexy surly protective Scottish brutes are right up there as leading men (I am 1/4 Scottish, it's genetic) and our hot Scot isn't doing a bad job at all in protecting Dr. Sarabeth Lucking from the bad guys. She's scared and stubborn but she's no damsel in distress and underneath is a feisty strong lady who hasn't been allowed to be her real-self in life for fear of disappointing her snotty snobbish Grandparents.
It's a romance that is action and sexual tension led and it does take a while before any explosions occur under the covers. Once they do though, the emotional dynamic of the book changes; Gavin and Sarabeth are more similar than they think and I went from liking to loving both them and their story.
Well worth reading and the only question left to ask is if Maddy is going to get her story...I think that one could be interesting.
I received a copy of this as an ARC from the publisher for and honest and unbiased opinion.
As you may have gathered, our hero, Gavin McClintock, is Scottish. In my world sexy surly protective Scottish brutes are right up there as leading men (I am 1/4 Scottish, it's genetic) and our hot Scot isn't doing a bad job at all in protecting Dr. Sarabeth Lucking from the bad guys. She's scared and stubborn but she's no damsel in distress and underneath is a feisty strong lady who hasn't been allowed to be her real-self in life for fear of disappointing her snotty snobbish Grandparents.
It's a romance that is action and sexual tension led and it does take a while before any explosions occur under the covers. Once they do though, the emotional dynamic of the book changes; Gavin and Sarabeth are more similar than they think and I went from liking to loving both them and their story.
Well worth reading and the only question left to ask is if Maddy is going to get her story...I think that one could be interesting.
I received a copy of this as an ARC from the publisher for and honest and unbiased opinion.
January 18, 2014
4.5 Cocktails
I. Loved. This. Book!!! This was my first Christine Bell story, and I can't wait to read more of her stuff. I am so impressed.
Sarabeth is in trouble. Someone's trying to kill her, but she's a bit in denial about that. Her friends have hired Gavin McClintock, a security expert, to keep her safe. The meat of the story starts off with a bang (literally), and it keeps up its quick pace. However, just because it's quick doesn't mean that it's missing anything. What Ms. Bell gives us is a well written mystery to go with her scorching romance. In fact, it seemed to me that the romance took sort of a back seat to the action. Don't misread me, though, the chemistry between Sarabeth and Gavin is out of this world, and when they finally come together? WHEW!! I needed to stick my head in the freezer.
The reason for all the trouble is quite surprising, and I thought it was a great twist. "Guardian For Hire" wraps up very neatly, and it's very satisfying. I also think that are ways that sequels could be written, should Ms Bell be inclined. I HIGHLY recommend this book. It's some of the best action/romance fiction that I've read in a long time. Definitely read this one!
Reviewed by Kenna for Cocktails and Books
I. Loved. This. Book!!! This was my first Christine Bell story, and I can't wait to read more of her stuff. I am so impressed.
Sarabeth is in trouble. Someone's trying to kill her, but she's a bit in denial about that. Her friends have hired Gavin McClintock, a security expert, to keep her safe. The meat of the story starts off with a bang (literally), and it keeps up its quick pace. However, just because it's quick doesn't mean that it's missing anything. What Ms. Bell gives us is a well written mystery to go with her scorching romance. In fact, it seemed to me that the romance took sort of a back seat to the action. Don't misread me, though, the chemistry between Sarabeth and Gavin is out of this world, and when they finally come together? WHEW!! I needed to stick my head in the freezer.
The reason for all the trouble is quite surprising, and I thought it was a great twist. "Guardian For Hire" wraps up very neatly, and it's very satisfying. I also think that are ways that sequels could be written, should Ms Bell be inclined. I HIGHLY recommend this book. It's some of the best action/romance fiction that I've read in a long time. Definitely read this one!
Reviewed by Kenna for Cocktails and Books
January 17, 2014
I received this one from the publisher via netgalley, and found it, well, predictable.
There's nothing offensive about it, and the hero and heroine are solid characters, but it felt as though I'd read books like this one before, and, therefore, it became far too predictable to make it enjoyable. Gorgeous hero from the backstreets saved rich, educated heroine. They dislike each other, get thrown together, end up in bed.. etc. etc.
It is fairly well-written (there were a couple of errors, but I received an ARC, so that goes with the territory), and the plot and character development are quite well thought-out, but there was practically nothing that made me sit up, take notice and get sucked into the story and question how it would end. There were none of the twists and turns of the plot or endearing character foibles (other than a silly misconception that the hero and heroine are not suited to each other - duh!), or character flaws, which make for a deliciously captivating contemporary suspense-type romance.
2 stars. It was OK, although that cover is seriously lickable..
There's nothing offensive about it, and the hero and heroine are solid characters, but it felt as though I'd read books like this one before, and, therefore, it became far too predictable to make it enjoyable. Gorgeous hero from the backstreets saved rich, educated heroine. They dislike each other, get thrown together, end up in bed.. etc. etc.
It is fairly well-written (there were a couple of errors, but I received an ARC, so that goes with the territory), and the plot and character development are quite well thought-out, but there was practically nothing that made me sit up, take notice and get sucked into the story and question how it would end. There were none of the twists and turns of the plot or endearing character foibles (other than a silly misconception that the hero and heroine are not suited to each other - duh!), or character flaws, which make for a deliciously captivating contemporary suspense-type romance.
2 stars. It was OK, although that cover is seriously lickable..
January 29, 2014
3.5 "It was good, it wasn't great" stars for me
I just didn't love this one.
Something was missing for me and the 'mission' in the middle just didn't
do it for me at all!
That isn't to say that I'm not still a huge fan of Christine Bell
Here's my 5 star review of book 1 ~ Wife For Hire...
And you can count me in on a third book in this series if there is one?
http://cariads-sizzling-pages.blogspo... - come visit me!
Sizzling Pages Romance Reviews
Sizzling Pages @ Facebook
Twitter:@Sizzlingpages
I just didn't love this one.
Something was missing for me and the 'mission' in the middle just didn't
do it for me at all!
That isn't to say that I'm not still a huge fan of Christine Bell
Here's my 5 star review of book 1 ~ Wife For Hire...
And you can count me in on a third book in this series if there is one?
http://cariads-sizzling-pages.blogspo... - come visit me!
Sizzling Pages Romance Reviews
Sizzling Pages @ Facebook
Twitter:@Sizzlingpages
January 14, 2014
Another amazing book. Its one of those books which hold your interest right from the beginning and until the end. There is mystery and romance, a combination which rarely goes wrong but with Bell's way of writing its even better. I had enjoyed book one as well and although that made things clearer for me from the start, you don't have to read book one to enjoy it.
for complete review see the blog post
http://mineofbooks.blogspot.com/2014/...
for complete review see the blog post
http://mineofbooks.blogspot.com/2014/...
January 30, 2014
This book was just okay for me. It was okay hot, okay funny and an okay story line.
Pretty simple here :)
I felt like it was kind of slow...couldn't just keep reading it through because there were so many things going on that I really didn't care about. I skimmed a lot too.
The sexy parts were sexy...but not too smokin.
I'd recommend this book, because this is just my own personal opinion. Some people will find it perfect, but for me, this is just what it is : a slow okay read.
Pretty simple here :)
I felt like it was kind of slow...couldn't just keep reading it through because there were so many things going on that I really didn't care about. I skimmed a lot too.
The sexy parts were sexy...but not too smokin.
I'd recommend this book, because this is just my own personal opinion. Some people will find it perfect, but for me, this is just what it is : a slow okay read.
March 8, 2014
Who doesn't love a HEA
Who doesn't love a HEA
Gavin, you big ole sexy hunka man!!! Who wouldn't want to sneak around with you. I love the chemistry between Gavin and Sarahbeth!!! Having this story unfold with all the action, drama and hotty hotness was a thrill ride I'm glad I bought a ticket too!! I'm excited to read more in this series!!! It is a series isn't it? Please let it be a series!!!
Who doesn't love a HEA
Gavin, you big ole sexy hunka man!!! Who wouldn't want to sneak around with you. I love the chemistry between Gavin and Sarahbeth!!! Having this story unfold with all the action, drama and hotty hotness was a thrill ride I'm glad I bought a ticket too!! I'm excited to read more in this series!!! It is a series isn't it? Please let it be a series!!!
October 1, 2014
I didn't care for this too much. I liked the first book in the series, Wife for Hire, so gave this one a try. But, the heroine, Sarabeth is kind of naive, a little stupid and not all that relatable. The hero, Gavin, is not very expressive and comes across a bit cold. By the end, I didn't really care if they were together or not. I've read a number of Christine Bell books and liked them, but this one just didn't do it for me.
February 3, 2014
This was a cute little story. There was some funny dialog between the 2 characters but the story was too short to make the relationship between these 2 realistic. I also thought Sarabeth acted way immature and it was hard to envision her as a therapist. It was just ok for me. This cover is sure hot though.
January 11, 2014
3.5 stars. Entertaining and a good read.
Review on blog 1/14/14
Copy for review provided by Entangled in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Straight Shootin' Book Reviews
Review on blog 1/14/14
Copy for review provided by Entangled in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Straight Shootin' Book Reviews
January 23, 2014
OMG, how is this woman a doctor yet is as dumb as Jessica Simpson with the chicken of the sea? I skimmed through most of this book and even what I did read didn't have me interested. I don't know how this got such good reviews.
March 14, 2014
I read this because I really liked Down for the Count alot. Down for The Count was great. It was funny, it was sexy, it was a good read. This one was just ok and I kept thinking when is this going to be over. I started skimming through it. On to the next one.
January 14, 2017
This one has a bit of a twist as Sarabeth who runs couples retreats finds herself in danger and to her dismay ends up with a panty melting Army Ranger who is hell bent on protecting her and together trying to figure out why she is in danger. This is one steamy read.
Yes you need to read this.
Yes you need to read this.
February 23, 2014
DNF. Made it 70% through, then gave up out of sheer boredom. Also, none of the characters make sense.
June 9, 2016
After reading Wife for Hire, I was really looking forward to this book.
It was fine, but not as much fun as the first story in this series.
Rating 3.5
It was fine, but not as much fun as the first story in this series.
Rating 3.5
October 7, 2017
Please note I received a copy of GUARDIAN FOR HIRE on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Five stars and here's why:
I LOVED IT! This romantic suspense is full of humor and the pacing is fantastic. It's a very quick and satisfying read. This book is the second in a series by Christine Bell, and you don't have to read the first book to enjoy this story.
Sarabeth Lucking is a psychologist sucked into what I'd call an Agatha Christie play: like AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. She works at a couple’s retreat before it gets shut down due to a scandal and employees are dying - dropping like flies so her friends send an ex-Army Ranger, who now specializes in security to go get her and keep her safe. When she meets hella-hottie Gavin McClintock with a Scottish accent - sparks fly. Literally. Sarah has to flee with Gavin to escape the killers. The issue becomes who, what, where, when and why do they want to kill this woman?
I loved strong female characters with a sense of vulnerability and Sarabeth delivers. Gavin has his own demons to contend with and his Scottish accent is swoon-worthy. **fans herself** If you love romantic suspense with a side of sexy humor, this book is for you. Highly recommend.
Five stars and here's why:
I LOVED IT! This romantic suspense is full of humor and the pacing is fantastic. It's a very quick and satisfying read. This book is the second in a series by Christine Bell, and you don't have to read the first book to enjoy this story.
Sarabeth Lucking is a psychologist sucked into what I'd call an Agatha Christie play: like AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. She works at a couple’s retreat before it gets shut down due to a scandal and employees are dying - dropping like flies so her friends send an ex-Army Ranger, who now specializes in security to go get her and keep her safe. When she meets hella-hottie Gavin McClintock with a Scottish accent - sparks fly. Literally. Sarah has to flee with Gavin to escape the killers. The issue becomes who, what, where, when and why do they want to kill this woman?
I loved strong female characters with a sense of vulnerability and Sarabeth delivers. Gavin has his own demons to contend with and his Scottish accent is swoon-worthy. **fans herself** If you love romantic suspense with a side of sexy humor, this book is for you. Highly recommend.
February 15, 2015
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Steamy contemporary romance that had great humor and a little mystery. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat and I thought that it could have been a lot better.
Opening Sentence: Sarabeth Lucking stared at her monitor without blinking, utter disbelief keeping the horror temporarily at bay.
The Review:
Sarabeth Lucking finally landed her dream job as a psychologist at a wealthy couple’s retreat where couples go to work on their relationships. Unfortunately, it was all a sham. The owner of the retreat is luring the couples to cheat on their spouses and recording everything for blackmail. Once the scandal is unveiled the retreat is closed and Sarabeth’s reputation as a psychologist goes down the drain. It has been a few months since everything went down and Sarabeth is trying to put her life back together, but she is soon pulled into an even worse situation where all of her former co-workers are being murdered and it looks like she might be the next target.
Then enters Gavin McClintock, a rough ex-Army Ranger who has been asked to protect Sarabeth. Gavin grew up on the streets and had a pretty rough childhood. Lucky for him he decided to do something with his life and now runs a very successful security business. When one of his long time friends asks him for help with protecting the snooty Dr. Lucking, he can’t say no even though he wants to. Sarabeth is just as cold and stuck-up as Gavin thought she would be, but as she starts to thaw out he realizes that he is way more attracted to her then he ever thought possible. Keeping her safe becomes a priority in life and it’s not just because he promised to, it’s because he wants to. The two of them can’t deny their attraction, but they are from two different worlds and a real relationship would never work.
Overall, Sarabeth was a likeable character that was easy to relate to. She grew up with her extremely rich grandparents, but they always treated her like a burden that was dumped on them. Then there was the whole debacle with her last job, which has led her to be the next victim in a plot to kill of all the employees of the last company she worked for. Obviously she hasn’t had the easiest life so far, but she still has a pretty positive outlook on life, which I really respect. She has put up a lot of walls when it comes to other people, but it is easy to understand why once you read her story. In many ways she is a very lost person and I really enjoyed watching her find herself. There were a few moments when her insecurities were a little annoying, but overall she was a fun character.
Gavin is totally HOT! He is this huge guy that has a massive protective streak that was really endearing. From the moment I met him I was pretty taken with his demanding presence and rough personality. I have always been a sucker for a bad boy and he had a lot of bad boy qualities. He is tough and not someone you ever want to get on their bad side, but he is also really considerate and respectful, which I really liked. His relationship with Sarabeth was very steamy and they had some amazing chemistry, but overall it did feel a little rushed. Gavin was a great hero for the story and a fun love interest to get to know.
Guardian for Hire started out really interesting with great humor, mystery, and sexual tension, but as the story went on it lost some of its appeal. Before I go into the things I didn’t like about this book, I want to say that it was a cute romance and overall it was a pretty entertaining read. I liked the whole premise of someone trying to kill the main character and they have to figure out who it is before they succeed. But I felt that the entire mystery was solved very conveniently and honestly it was really far-fetched, which I was not a fan of. I get this is a work of fiction, but it is set in real life so the plot should be believable and it just wasn’t to me. The next thing I struggled with was how instant the romance was. There was great sexual tension at the beginning of the book but once the characters had sex it got a little boring after that. I did enjoy the humor in the story and luckily that lasted through the entire book. Overall, I think this book could have been great, but instead it ended up just being an okay read. It only took me a few hours to read the whole book so it is one of those stories you can fly through and be entertained for a couple hours. If you are looking for a romance book full of sexy times and a little mystery, I think you would probably enjoy this one.
Notable Scene:
“Of course,” she said curtly. “After I warm up my car and gather the rest of my things. It was a real pleasure, Mr. McClintock.” As she held out her right hand toward him for a shake and aimed her car remote at the Volvo parked in the driveway with her left, his skin crawled in an all-too-familiar way.
Shit.
“Don’t press tha—”
He was a pretty smart guy and, rationally, he was well aware that light traveled faster than sound. But in that moment, it was all about the boom as the Volvo promptly exploded into a gigantic fireball. Working on pure instinct, he dove forward, tackling the doctor to the hardwood floor like a linebacker. Covering her body with his own, he braced himself for a second explosion or the biting rain of shrapnel. Ten seconds passed, and neither came.
As he waited for the monotone buzzing in his ears to fade, he pushed his torso away from Sarabeth’s to do a cursory inspection. Her eyes had gone glassy with shock, which was to be expected, but he saw no blood or obvious signs of injury.
He rolled off Sarabeth and onto his feet. She stared up at him, her mouth opening and closing wordlessly until he reached for her. “It’s okay. You’re going to be fine, but we’ve got to go. There’s no choice now, Doc.”
FTC Advisory: Entangled: Indulgence provided me with a copy of Guardian for Hire. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Steamy contemporary romance that had great humor and a little mystery. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat and I thought that it could have been a lot better.
Opening Sentence: Sarabeth Lucking stared at her monitor without blinking, utter disbelief keeping the horror temporarily at bay.
The Review:
Sarabeth Lucking finally landed her dream job as a psychologist at a wealthy couple’s retreat where couples go to work on their relationships. Unfortunately, it was all a sham. The owner of the retreat is luring the couples to cheat on their spouses and recording everything for blackmail. Once the scandal is unveiled the retreat is closed and Sarabeth’s reputation as a psychologist goes down the drain. It has been a few months since everything went down and Sarabeth is trying to put her life back together, but she is soon pulled into an even worse situation where all of her former co-workers are being murdered and it looks like she might be the next target.
Then enters Gavin McClintock, a rough ex-Army Ranger who has been asked to protect Sarabeth. Gavin grew up on the streets and had a pretty rough childhood. Lucky for him he decided to do something with his life and now runs a very successful security business. When one of his long time friends asks him for help with protecting the snooty Dr. Lucking, he can’t say no even though he wants to. Sarabeth is just as cold and stuck-up as Gavin thought she would be, but as she starts to thaw out he realizes that he is way more attracted to her then he ever thought possible. Keeping her safe becomes a priority in life and it’s not just because he promised to, it’s because he wants to. The two of them can’t deny their attraction, but they are from two different worlds and a real relationship would never work.
Overall, Sarabeth was a likeable character that was easy to relate to. She grew up with her extremely rich grandparents, but they always treated her like a burden that was dumped on them. Then there was the whole debacle with her last job, which has led her to be the next victim in a plot to kill of all the employees of the last company she worked for. Obviously she hasn’t had the easiest life so far, but she still has a pretty positive outlook on life, which I really respect. She has put up a lot of walls when it comes to other people, but it is easy to understand why once you read her story. In many ways she is a very lost person and I really enjoyed watching her find herself. There were a few moments when her insecurities were a little annoying, but overall she was a fun character.
Gavin is totally HOT! He is this huge guy that has a massive protective streak that was really endearing. From the moment I met him I was pretty taken with his demanding presence and rough personality. I have always been a sucker for a bad boy and he had a lot of bad boy qualities. He is tough and not someone you ever want to get on their bad side, but he is also really considerate and respectful, which I really liked. His relationship with Sarabeth was very steamy and they had some amazing chemistry, but overall it did feel a little rushed. Gavin was a great hero for the story and a fun love interest to get to know.
Guardian for Hire started out really interesting with great humor, mystery, and sexual tension, but as the story went on it lost some of its appeal. Before I go into the things I didn’t like about this book, I want to say that it was a cute romance and overall it was a pretty entertaining read. I liked the whole premise of someone trying to kill the main character and they have to figure out who it is before they succeed. But I felt that the entire mystery was solved very conveniently and honestly it was really far-fetched, which I was not a fan of. I get this is a work of fiction, but it is set in real life so the plot should be believable and it just wasn’t to me. The next thing I struggled with was how instant the romance was. There was great sexual tension at the beginning of the book but once the characters had sex it got a little boring after that. I did enjoy the humor in the story and luckily that lasted through the entire book. Overall, I think this book could have been great, but instead it ended up just being an okay read. It only took me a few hours to read the whole book so it is one of those stories you can fly through and be entertained for a couple hours. If you are looking for a romance book full of sexy times and a little mystery, I think you would probably enjoy this one.
Notable Scene:
“Of course,” she said curtly. “After I warm up my car and gather the rest of my things. It was a real pleasure, Mr. McClintock.” As she held out her right hand toward him for a shake and aimed her car remote at the Volvo parked in the driveway with her left, his skin crawled in an all-too-familiar way.
Shit.
“Don’t press tha—”
He was a pretty smart guy and, rationally, he was well aware that light traveled faster than sound. But in that moment, it was all about the boom as the Volvo promptly exploded into a gigantic fireball. Working on pure instinct, he dove forward, tackling the doctor to the hardwood floor like a linebacker. Covering her body with his own, he braced himself for a second explosion or the biting rain of shrapnel. Ten seconds passed, and neither came.
As he waited for the monotone buzzing in his ears to fade, he pushed his torso away from Sarabeth’s to do a cursory inspection. Her eyes had gone glassy with shock, which was to be expected, but he saw no blood or obvious signs of injury.
He rolled off Sarabeth and onto his feet. She stared up at him, her mouth opening and closing wordlessly until he reached for her. “It’s okay. You’re going to be fine, but we’ve got to go. There’s no choice now, Doc.”
FTC Advisory: Entangled: Indulgence provided me with a copy of Guardian for Hire. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
December 10, 2017
Copy Editor For Hire?
“Guardian for Hire” can technically be classified as a romantic thriller but it leans more to the romance side than the thriller section. Gavin McClintock has been hired to protect psychologist, Dr Sarabeth Lucking. Several people she had connections to have met untimely death and her friends believe she could be on the mob’s short list. Problem is, neither Gavin nor Sarabeth know “what” she’s supposed to know that would put her in danger. Gavin’s protective instincts kick into high gear and quickly morph into a romantic protector mode. The characterizations of Sarabeth and Gavin are sufficiently comprehensive so readers understand their motivations, which helps move things along. What’s lacking is evidence of an astute copy editor who would/should have caught the too plentiful typos, dropped or missing words and redundancies and hopefully would’ve caught and corrected some of the mangled sentences. These issues don’t directly affect the storyline but they definitely have a negative effect on the reader.
“Guardian for Hire” can technically be classified as a romantic thriller but it leans more to the romance side than the thriller section. Gavin McClintock has been hired to protect psychologist, Dr Sarabeth Lucking. Several people she had connections to have met untimely death and her friends believe she could be on the mob’s short list. Problem is, neither Gavin nor Sarabeth know “what” she’s supposed to know that would put her in danger. Gavin’s protective instincts kick into high gear and quickly morph into a romantic protector mode. The characterizations of Sarabeth and Gavin are sufficiently comprehensive so readers understand their motivations, which helps move things along. What’s lacking is evidence of an astute copy editor who would/should have caught the too plentiful typos, dropped or missing words and redundancies and hopefully would’ve caught and corrected some of the mangled sentences. These issues don’t directly affect the storyline but they definitely have a negative effect on the reader.
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